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Resident presses city for demolition list; law director and mayor explain appeals and land-bank timing
Summary
A resident told council he has sought the city’s demolition list for nearly a year; the law director said there is no single definitive demolition list and owners may appeal, and the mayor said demolished properties typically transfer to the county land bank and may remain there for two to three years.
During miscellaneous business, resident Keith Dauphin told Canton City Council he has repeatedly requested the city's demolition list and said he could not understand why it had not been provided.
"I've been requesting the demolition list for almost a year now," Dauphin said, pressing council for explanation. "Why? Paying for this thing, but I have no access to this thing."
The law director responded that there is no single, definitive demolition list. He said notices to property owners do not automatically create a fixed list because property owners can appeal enforcement actions. "There is no definitive demo list," the law director said, and noted that parties have an opportunity to appeal enforcement decisions.
The mayor added a procedural explanation: when the city orders a demolition it typically does not take ownership of the property; after demolition the property can go to the county land bank and "probably sit there for 2 to 3" years, the mayor said. Council members questioned whether that timeline could be shortened and discussed options such as TAP applications and other programs designed to reutilize city lots.
The exchange did not produce a change in policy or a formal directive but drew attention from multiple council members to the perceived delay in returning demolished parcels to productive use. Council members noted existing programs to transfer small lots and to pursue reuse through grant or TAP applications.
